With an assist from Sarah Ferris CLOSING ARGUMENTS: "CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER" — That is how the Jan. 6 panel is poised to describe the threat former President Donald Trump posed to democracy and freedom, backed by a movement and followers he stoked into action. Today the panel will "take a step back" to examine the push to undo President Joe Biden's win in a two-and-a-half hour hearing with promises of new video footage and documents from the Secret Service trove – but no live witnesses expected. In some ways, the hearing will serve as a sort of segue to the criminal case that federal prosecutors are building, though the panel has strongly delineated its distinct mission from the prosecutors. They see their role as informing the public and developing legislative recommendations to prevent future attacks on the peaceful transfer of power. "We think we very, very much proved the case in a compelling way by the end of that hearing series," select panel member Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told Kyle and Nicholas in a recent interview. "And now, frankly, on the criminal side, because we're not the criminal committee, it's up to the DOJ. … They have the torch, and we'll see where they go with it." The hearing will likely feature evidence obtained after the slate of summer hearings, like interviews with cabinet members about conversations regarding potential invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from power and documentary footage of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone. A clip to watch for: Stone, one day before Election Day, telling an associate, "Fuck the voting, let's get right to the violence," while laughing. In the two weeks since the hearing was first scheduled and then postponed due to Hurricane Ian, the committee obtained testimony from conservative activist Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. It also heard from a key Proud Boy leader who pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. Work still ahead: This final hearing is not the end of the panel's work. The select committee is writing its final report, with aims to release a final document in December. They are also weighing when to release hundreds of witness interview recordings and transcripts. JAN. 6 AND THE ELECTION NEEDLE — Democrats have been hammering the GOP all year as a danger to democracy. But with under a month to go til the midterms, the issue of Jan. 6 and election-deniers is playing a much more minor role in the midterms compared to issues like abortion. That's because even as a majority of House Republicans voted to oppose certifying 2020 results, the reality is almost all of them are in ruby red seats, limiting how hard Dems can hammer them on the issue. In all, less than 2 percent of all broadcast TV spending in House races has gone toward Jan. 6 ads, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact. But, but, but: Dems are still running ads about the issue in a handful of swing seats -- think: rural Wisconsin, suburban New Jersey and Phoenix's East Valley -- where they say it is making a dent. And even if it's not running in ads, Dem candidates are bringing it up in other settings, like debates. That includes Greg Landsman, the Dem running against Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), who called the congressman's vote not to certify the election "dangerous" and "disqualifying." Jordain, Sarah and Ally deconstruct why Jan. 6 isn't a central message for Democrats in the midterms.
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